Bringing Life to the StarsUniversity Press of America, 1993 - 194 pages This book attempts to provide an ethical foundation with which to address the question, 'Should we spread life beyond Earth?' It examines the material conditions of the solar system, the limits of consciousness, the limits of society, and the long term possibilities of sending human life out into the universe. The author delineates the ethical criteria of sentient life and considers justifications of space travel for the purpose of human expansion. Duemler gives special attention to the utilitarian explanation which concludes that if life did [gnyad throughout the solar system, or even the galaxy, then this would serve to increase the amount of sentient life and, if life in the new world is a balanced positive, is therefore a positive event. Three main issues, drawing upon both science and philosophy, fall at the center of the discussion: supporting evidence not based on questionable dogma nor requiring huge intuitive leaps of faith; it must square with natural selection and have biological plausibility; and it must have inherent value, not requiring underlying conditions for a judgement to pass. |
Contents
An Ethical Foundation 130 | 1 |
Creating New Worlds 3157 | 31 |
The Limits of Consciousness 5980 | 59 |
Copyright | |
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aggression altruism animals answer appear argued asteroids attempt ball lightning basic Batek become behavior brain bringing capable capacity chapter claim competition concept concern consciousness course create decisions descendants developed diversity Earth ecosystems egalitarian environment ethical relativism ethical system evidence example expect experience feel forms foundation Freeman Dyson future galaxy genes genetic greater Hadza human hunter-gatherers imagine immediate return societies important individuals infinite number inherent value innate intuition involved Kung lead learning limits live look machines mass driver material Mbuti millions moral move natural selection noted nuclear fusion O'Neill options perhaps person physical planets pleasure and pain possible prefer present problems programs proposed question rational reason reciprocity relatively relevant rely role sentient social solar power satellites solar system space habitats species specific impulse stars suggested things underlying conditions utilitarian Woodburn worlds worlds in space